Kim Jeong-seon, Director of the Pilajoy Gyodae Branch
With the rise in amateur ballet participation, reports of recurring pain and injuries are increasing, and a practical guide has been published that examines the limits of the dance education structure and offers alternatives.
On the 13th, Pilajoy Gyodae Branch director Kim Jeong-seon, physical therapist Lee Hyeon-seok, and La Scala Ballet director Kim Gai jointly published ‘Pilates for Dancers: PILATES FOR DANCERS – MOVEMENT PLIE METHOD’.
This book departs from the conventional approach focused on copying ballet movements and instead emphasizes understanding the support structures of the body and the connections of movement. In particular, by reinterpreting the basic ballet movement plie(plie), it explains step by step the principles and methods by which the sensory system of the body operates before the form of movement.
The authors pointed out, “Although the number of people doing ballet as a hobby has surged recently and reports of knee, back, and ankle pain are rising, instruction still remains centered on professional dancers”. They argued that a structure that emphasizes only the completeness of movements without considering the physical conditions and lifestyle patterns of ordinary adults causes pain and injury.
Kim Jeong-seon said, “Classes that demand flexibility and range of motion first lead people to chase form before the support structures of the body are ready”, adding, “In the field, I have often encountered repeated complaints of knee, back, and ankle pain”.
“Being good at ballet does not mean doing more extreme movements; it starts with accurately understanding how the body works” and “I wanted to propose safer and more sustainable movement”, expressing thoughts on the publication.
In addition, therapist Lee Hyeon-seok, drawing on clinical experience, said, “The issue lies less in the movements themselves than in the way they are performed and in movement habits”, and added, “An instructional approach that overuses specific areas creates, in the long term, a vicious cycle of recovery and rehabilitation”.
Meanwhile, the newly released ‘Pilates for Dancers’ will be available at Kyobo Bookstore, Aladin, and Yes24, as well as bookstores nationwide, starting on the 15th.
